Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year!

It's about that time where we say goodbye to one year and start the next! To say the least, this year has been an amazing one for me. Last year at this time I was a legal secretary who had just been asked to help moderate the book of the month club over on Twilight Moms. I had no idea what to expect, and I never imagined where this one little decision would take me. It was easily one of the best decisions I've ever made! A short year later I have worked with dozens of my favorite authors between TM's and Eve's Fan Garden and here and have had the chance to meet many of them! I quit my job (YAY!!) and went back to school to be a school librarian and while being back in school is no walk in the park, at least I feel like I've finally found the right job for me!

One big book realted thing I did this year was the 100 books in 2010 Challenge through Twilight Mom's. As of today I've read 120 books with 12 more hours to go I suppose I could get one more in, but 120 in 2010 seems like a good place to stop. Check out all 120 books here. There are some big duds on that list- but also some really amazing books- so without further ado here are my year end book ranking.

Top Five:

Before I Fall- Lauren Oliver
This is an amazing book. It's rare that you find a book that takes you through such a range of emotions as this one does- from hatred to compassion, happiness to sadness, laughing to crying- Oliver manages to expertly weave it all in.

Delirium- Lauren Oliver
Another amazing book by Oliver. I got into dystopian alot this year and Delirium is the best of the bunch as far as I'm concerned. I can not wait for the sequel to come out, which isn't for over a year, so I'm in for a long wait!

Stolen- Lucy Christopher
This is one of those books that was given to me that I had never heard of, but something about it's simple cover and title that grabbed my attention, so to the top of the pile it went. Thank goodness- this is an amazing book. It's terrifying and heartbreaking and hopeful all in one. By the end of the book not only may Gemma have Stockholm syndroms, but as the reader, you just might have it too. It's remarkable and it sticks with you long after you close the last page.

Clockwork Angel- Cassandra Clare
Always late to the game, before I picked CA up I had not read any of Clare's books. Within a week after finishing CA I had read them all. The world that Clare creates is fun and full of adventure and history and mythology and awesomeness. I was hooked from the first page and I can not wait for more books to come out!

Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins
The fifth book for a top 5 is always hard to pick. Out of 120 books, which one gets that last spot. There was never a doubt that Hunger Games would be on the list- but there are alot of other phenomenal books that are left off. Still- how can you not include HG. This book is another great dystopian that is terrifying in the parallels to our world. the whole series is. I'm nervous and excited to see how this book comes to life on the big screen!

3 worst

Can you say five worst? Obviously, if there are some at the top, there will be some at the bottom, but that doesn't neccessarily mean they are bad. For the record- IMO every book out there has it's reader- so the bottom 3 on this list are just the ones that weren't my cup of tea, even if they might have been great books.

Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson
Go ahead, gasp in shock at my worst book of the year. I deserve it. I hated this book, but I have a good reason, I promise. Here it is: I grew up in Syracuse, I spent my whole life here. Even when I was off at College, the Syracuse area was home. This book, set in my hometown, seemed like a foreign place to me. Nothing was recognizable. She messed up my town. I couldn't get past it. I missed out on the whole story because things like the bakery and the mall were wrong. The descriptions of her neighborhood were wrong. Ruined the entire book for me. Which is too bad, since by all accounts it was an amazing book. Just not for me.

The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold
Another shocker. This book just was a dud for me. I think it moved to slow for my liking, and with an already hard to read topic filling the pages, I needed more to keep me invested. Again, not a bad book, just not my cup of tea.

My Sould to Save- Rachel Vincent
This book has a great concept, but for some reason I jsut couldn't get into it. It's rare that I start a series and don't finish it all, but I had no inclination to even pick up more of this series. In a stuffed genre, this one just didn't catch my attention.

Book that Surprised me the most:

Stork - Wendy Delsol
This book is about a girl who finds out that she is an honest to god Stork, as in the deliverer of babies to those who deserve them. My first thought was that this book was going to be a cheesefest, but I was surprized to find that it was really wonderful.

Book that dissapointed me the most:

Mockingjay- Suzanne Collins
This is a hard one because I genuinely loved this book, but you can love a book and still be dissapointed in it- especially when you are measuring it against the two preceding books Hunger Games and Catching Fire. My biggest complaint was that I felt I missed too much while Katniss was out of it. I felt like I didn't have the full picture of what had happened and therefore I felt like the series was incomplete. Loved it, but just wanted more.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at Broke and Bookish Here is what they have to say: Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND sign Mister Linky at the bottom to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Don't worry if you can't come up with ten every time..just post what you can!


This week we're looking at the Top Ten books we hope Santa brings! My to buy list is ridiculous- if I hope on over to goodreads to see what I have on the to read shelf I'm confronted with 90 books. That's a hefty bag for Santa to be toting around and I'm really not sure that it would fit under the tree anyways- so here are the top 10!

1. Losing Faith by Denise Jaden- I've been pining for this book for months, but my library doesn't have it yet, so it's up to Santa to hook me up!

A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

2. Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready- technically this book isn't released until May, but the ARC's are already on the loose and if anyone can get one, Santa should be able to!

Aura's life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend Logan died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows that he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can't deny her connection to the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she's not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura's search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets...and her heart.


3. Grace by Elizabeth Scott- I've loved everything else I've read by Scott and I' sure this one won't dissapoint either!

Grace was raised to be an Angel, a herald of death by suicide bomb. But she refuses to die for the cause, and now Grace is on the run, daring to dream of freedom. In search of a border she may never reach, she travels among malevolent soldiers on a decrepit train crawling through the desert. Accompanied by the mysterious Kerr, Grace struggles to be invisible, but the fear of discovery looms large as she recalls the history and events that delivered her uncertain fate.

Told in spare, powerful prose by acclaimed author Elizabeth Scott, this tale of a dystopian near future will haunt readers long after they've reached the final page.


4. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King- King is one of my favorite authors, and I'm dying to get my hands on this book. The school library has it, but I want it for myself!

Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.

So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?


5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis- another one that has been on my radar for awhile, and which my library doesn't carry...

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone--one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship--tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.


6. Room by Emma Donoghue- This one just caught my eye about a week ago, but it looks really interesting.

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.


7. Cloaked by Alex Flinn- this is another one that's not out yet, but like Shift, Santa should have no trouble grabbing an ARC.

Johnny’s not your average hero. But a little magic changes everything. There isn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. It all starts with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess. And before Johnny knows it, he is on a mission in the Evergladws, with only a flock of swans and a talking fox named Joe to help guide him against the forces of an evil witch.

8. Elk's Resolve by Elaine Littau- this is an old book that has been out for over a year, but you guessed it, my library doesn't carry it...

She was sure that his heart was Ute, but his heritage was all White man. Driven to escape his past and the demons who haunt him, Elk discovers a love he long thought dead. Set against the rugged beauty of the Colorado Rockies of the 1800s, Elk's Resolve follows the travails and triumphs of Elk, the White Indian. Guided by the hand of God, he finds his true self and defeats the voices who demand his destruction. In Elk's Resolve, Book II of the Nan's Heritage Series, author Elaine Littau depicts characters who struggle with hatred, depression, loss, and fear. Full of passion, heartbreak, romance, rivalry, and hope, Elk's Resolve will fascinate you from the first page.

9. Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler- Is it redundant to say that I've wanted this book for awhile and my library doesn't carry it?

Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.

She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.

Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?

Rich with emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery.


10. The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman- I love fairy tales and I'm in school to be a librarian. This is a book about both things. Obviously I'm all over it, except for the fact my library doesn't carry it...

Elizabeth has a new job at an unusual library— a lending library of objects, not books. In a secret room in the basement lies the Grimm Collection. That's where the librarians lock away powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales: seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye, Snow White's stepmother's sinister mirror that talks in riddles.
When the magical objects start to disappear, Elizabeth embarks on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before she can be accused of the crime—or captured by the thief.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Review: The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel

The Land of Painted Caves
By
: Jean M. Auel
Release Date: March 2011

Summary:
(from the cover)What began with the Clan of the Cave Bear continues as Ayla becomes the woman she was meant to be.

(from goodreads)The highly anticipated sixth book of Jean Auel's Earth's Children® series, THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES, is the culmination fans have been waiting for. Continuing the story of Ayla and Jondalar, Auel combines her brilliant narrative skills and appealing characters with a remarkable re-creation of the way life was lived more than 25,000 years ago. THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES is an exquisite achievement by one of the world's most beloved authors.

My thoughts: I'm going to break this post down in a different way then I usually do because this series is one that is very special to me. So first I will give some overall thoughts then I'll do a review of this specific book. Hang in there :)

So- as I said this series is very close to my heart. I can remember where I was when I first picked up The Clan of the Cave Bear. Book store, JFK airport, waiting for a flight to the Caribbean for winter break with my family. I was 12. I immediately loved these books. That was 15 years ago. I can remember reading and rereading that book. Then doing the same with the subsequent books. I learned more from these books then from anything else. I learned about being alone and finding strength within yourself. I learned about being an outsider and fighting to fit in. I learned about prejudice and hate and how you have to believe in yourself despite the odds. I learned about love and that families can be made of people who don't look the same or believe the same things. I learned about the birds and bees (I learned alot about the birds and bees...)and how finding the right person can heal old wounds and create new ones. I learned about what it meant to be a spiritual person, which is not the same as being religious, and how having faith can help you survive even when you think it's impossible. I learned about life from these books. Which is funny, because they are about people who lived in the ice age. Which I suppose is a testament to Auel's ability to connect her characters to the readers. Ayla and Jondalar could be living down the street and their journey would remain the same. You can find those parallels if you look and Ayla's journey influenced me in many ways. Things like loving horses and wolves, which were already in my wheelhouse and learning to shoot a bow & arrow because it seemed to me that that's all a spear thrower really is, to carrying an amulet to remind me of important moments and people all came from this series and became part of me. These books really became a part of my life and to this day this is the series that I always respond with when asked what my favorite books are. There aren't many series' which I can look back on and recall names and events years after I read them. I can with these books. I grew up with them. I was stoked to get my hands on The Land of Painted Caves and though I loved it, I'm dissapointed that the series is over. I'm hoping that Auel continues to write and that we haven't seen the last of this world and these people who have become something like family to me. If you haven't read them, I recommend you do, they are worth it.

Review: So, now that we've established my love affair with these books I'm going to take a heard look at the final (say it ain't so!) book in the series. You may be surprised at what I have to say, beacuse I didn't love it 100%.

To start, loved it. How could I not? Still there were some things that rubbed me the wrong way. For me, it was the redundancy in this book. I get why it happens, but it's made the book drag in parts. Let me explain. Auel is a master of descriptions. When Ayla goes hunting and she and Jondalar show someone how to make and use a spear thrower, Auel describes it in such detail that you could probably head out to the backyard and build your own. This is part of what makes these books so magical, because you see and feel everything the characters do. It's amazing. The problem is if you are a huge fan of the series like I am and have read them to the point where you already know the information from previous books. Jondalar and Ayla have been using the spear throwers for years, so we learned how they were built previously, and were already reminded in the last book. For someone like me, I don't need to be reminded again. I could probably explain it myself. The same applies when Ayla thinks back on her time with the Clan, or when she accidently ate the root and went into the cave after Creb, or how she trained her horses, or Wolf, or even Baby her lion. I don't need to be reminded of how she and Jondalar found eachother, or Jondalar was captured by Attora, or really any number of other events that are detailed in this book. I don't need to be reminded because I vividly remember when they happened the first time. Still, what if your not as current on these books? If these events aren't fresh in your memory? I'd imagine that for tose people these passages don't drag at all, and are even really, amazingly interesting. So I get why they are there. With gaps between books of 8 years I understand why you would feel the need to recap certain important events that shape Ayla's actions in this book. For me though, they felt cumbersome and I found myself skimming those paragraphs and pages.

To piggy back on that thought. Holy cow. The desciptions. It was all there. I loved the sections where Ayla is training to become Zelandonii. The things she is learning that I'm not familiar with were so much fun to read about and learn with her. I loved the descriptions of all the painted caves and sacred spots. I was especially moved by Ayla's calling and the events that unfolded from there. Loved it all.

Of course I have to talk about Jondalar, because for so long in this series they have been a pair. Again in this book they struggle and it's easy to forget that during the time this book covers these characters are only between 23 and 26 years old. They seem like they should be older and at some points more mature. They have a child who ages from 3-6 and sometimes their actions come across as so juvenile and petty that you just want to hop on into the book, talk some sense into them and hop back out. Then I remember that they are young, they are a new family, Ayla is still an outsider and they have alot of pressures on them. Especially Ayla who is training to be a zelandonii (aka spiritual leader). They are allowed to screw up and make bad decisions.

I really loved Ayla and Jondalar's daughter Jonayla. She was smart and spunky and independent and I specifically loved the moment she stared down a group of men who were trying to hunt her horses. She's exactly how I hope my daughter will be when she is older.

There were a few other things that bothered me. Mostly they relate to the fact that this is being spoken of as the final book in the series. There were alot of loose ends that were left behind as the book reached it's final pages. Things were brought up and then not resolved. I want to know what happens with Brukeval and Madroman now that they have left the Zelandonii. I also want to know where Jondalar and Ayla go know that they have resolved not only their differences, by agreed to care for anohter family as payment for the fight with Laramar. I read an article recently where Auel said that she doesn't feel that Ayla' story is over yet, and that she will keep writing. I'm really hoping that she not only keeps writing, but shares it with all of us. I agree with her, Ayla's story is not over and I for one would relaly like to know what happens next. I don't even mind waiting another 8 years to find out.
Rating:



Rating Disclaimer:

In the comments the issue of my starred rating came up- honestly, even I questioned it. I just wanted to share what I had to say on the matter:

"On a side note I read and reviewed this book in a span of a few days. I was basking in warm fuzzies of visiting with these characters again. There were, for certain, parts I didn't like and I was dissapointed in, as I noted in my review. Still, I tossed the 5 star out there. I wonder, now that I've had time to reflect, if I wasn't judging based on the good feelings the series as a whole gives me and not the merits of the individual book. I won't change the rating, because at that moment that's how I felt, but it does give a little food for thought on taking the time to really reflect on a book like this where you come into it with a huge bias. "


I've posted more of my thoughts on both the book and my review (and a bit about the discussion) here.

Best I've Read 2010 Giveaway Winners!



So the event is over and the winners have been drawn! Before I announce the winners I want to thatnk everyone who participated. You have all made this event so much bigger than I ever anticipated- it has been amazing! Don't forget to check out the Best I've Read homesite to see who won the grand prizes!

And now- the winners.

Day 1- Package 1 WINNER- Briana (The Book Pixie)
• 1 signed copy of Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
• 1 copy of Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

Day 1- Package 2 WINNER- April X
• 1 signed copy of Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
• 1 copy of Dust City by Robert Paul Weston

Day 2- Package 1 WINNER Kate M.
• Ellen Hopkins swag
• 1 signed Limited Edition chapter book of Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delany
• 1 copy of Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber

Day 2- Package 2 WINNER Andrew S.
• 1 copy of Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan

Day 3- Package 1 WINNER Jacmom
• 1 copy of Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
• 1 copy of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
• 1 copy of Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Day 3- Package 2 WINNER Heather M.
• 1 copy of Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
• 1 copy of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
• 1 copy of Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Day 3- Package 3 WINNER Sablelexi
• 1 copy of Tyger, Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Day 3- Bonus giveaway WINNER Terra
• Shadow of the Sun

Day 4- WINNER Onge
• Signed Julie Kagawa book plates
• 1 copy of The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
• 1 copy of Deception by Lee Nichols
• 1 copy of The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Day 5- Package 1 WINNER Julie S.
• 1 Extraordinary ARC by Nancy Werlin
• 1 copy of The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson
• 1 copy of Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
• 1 copy of Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
• 1 copy of Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

Day 5- Package 2- WINNER Monique P.
• 1 copy of Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

Day 6- WINNER Lori W.
• 1 copy of My Double Life by Janette Rallison
• 1 copy of Firelight by Sophie Jordan
• 1 copy of The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima
• 1 copy of The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Day 7- WINNER Sophia L.
• 1 copy of Matched by Ally Condie
• 1 copy of My Ridiculous Romantic Obsession by Becca Wilhite
• 1 copy of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• 1 copy of Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

Day 8- WINNER Gabrielle C.
• 1 copy of Absolution by Jennifer Laurens
• 1 Nightshade ARC by Andrea Cremer
• 1 copy of Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
• Signed poster from Anastasia Hopcus
• Before I Fall (international)

Day 9- WINNER Jazmyn R.
• 1 copy of The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott
• 1 copy of The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
• 1 copy of Dark Flame by Alyson Noel
• 1 copy of Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

* Winners were drawn using random.org All winners will be notified via email of their win. Please allow a few weeks for shipping as your books may be coming from multiple locations and may be shipped using various methods (fedex, UPS, etc.).

Friday, December 17, 2010

Book Blogger Hop


This meme is hosted by Crazy for Books, so hop on over her way to see what she is up to!

Here's this weeks question:
"What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?"

This is a tough question because they really aren't mutaully exclusive. You need both. If I had to choose though, I'd say the charecters are more important. Here's my reasoning. If you have a shoddy plot, written well, but a wee bit cheese ball or unbelieveable, but the characters are so engaging and believable that you make a connection with them, you can overlook the short fall of the plot to an extent. There have been books where I'm not buying into the plot, but I like the people in the book, once I kind say "I guess I'll just go with it" and stop worrying so much about the plot, I find myself liking the book alot more. It's hard to do that in reverse. If the plot is fabulous, but the characters are dullsville, there is nothing to connect to.

I'm going to use Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall to ephasize my point. 1.) Fabulous plot- really well written. 2.) At the beginning of the book I hate Sam. No amount of wonderfully written plotline makes me want to continue this book. I just cna't connect with the characters. 3.) On the suggestion of many I keep reading because they assure me I will grow to care about Sam. 4.)true to their word, I do, and it's the character and that connection that eventually keeps me reading. The good plotline alone was not enough for me. Thank goodness I had so many book pushers insisting I continue reading because they were right- the characters in this book become more and more engaging and eventually live up to the plotline.

So there's my gigantic answer. You need both, but without good, weel written characters you may be doomed.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Book Blogger Survey Day 5


So today is the last day of this survey. I've had fun, I hope I haven't bored you to tears with my answers, and I hope you stay tuned for new reviews and contest here at Reader's Ramblings!


42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
I'll admit to never finishing Beautiful Creatures, although I loved the part I read, and really loved Beautiful Darkness- I just ran out of time when I was reading BC.


43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
I do most of my reading when my kiddo is asleep, if I try when she is awake it's nearly impossible. My computer is the other thing that really distracts me. Although if I'm really into a book I'll sit and read for hours. Even exhaustion won't tear me away!


44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

Lord of the Rings is by far the best adaption I've seen. They got it 100% right- now if they could just get The Hobbit rolling...


45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I have to agree with Donna at EFG on this one. Twilight. I love these books- they are not earth shattering, but the movies really do them a disservice.


46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
It's a rare occassion that I walk out of the book store form under $100. I'm horrible about it.


47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I don't really skim books- unless they are more for research then pleasure. If I'm looking for a research book then I'll flip through and see if it's going to have what I need.


48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
If the book jsut isn't catching my interest it has to go. Or if another book that I've been dying to read comes my way, everything else goes on hold.


49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Yes- I'm pretty OCD about it. My home library is organized by topic and then alphabetically by author. So we have my school book section, Westerns, Government and Politics, YA, Fantasy and my kids books from when I was little (my parents saved them all). Then my series' have their own shelf. Unfortunately I wan out of book shelf space a while ago, so the stacks that are sitting around are driving me nuts!


50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I keep them all. In my mind I'm building a library that my daughter will be able to use someday.

On rare occassions I will give a book away, if the perfect person comes along. This only happens with my autographed books. When it's someone I'm not hugely attached to, but who I know someone else absolutely loves. To be able to make someone elses day is awesome, to be able to do that with a book is even better.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
The Black Dagger Brotherhood- I know I will become obsessed and I just don't have the time to get sucked into anohter series right now! The longer I wait the worse the attachement will be too- it happened with Harry Potter, Twilight and the Sookie Stackhouse series.


52. Name a book that made you angry.
Speak- hated every minute of it. I feel I have to justify here- and my justification is this. the book is set in my hometown, the place I lived my entire life, and there was nothing I recognized in her setting. I was so distracted by the inaccuracies that it ruined the entire book for me.


53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
There have been alot of books like this- I was super skeptical of the Twilight series and we know how that turned out for me. Also there's a book out there called Stork by Wendy Delsol that I thought I wouldn't like, but ended up loving.


54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
The Soul Screamers series


55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
All books are this!

Review: Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Girl, Stolen
By
: April Henry
Release date: 9-28-2010
Author info:
Website
Goodreads
Blog
Facebook

Summary (from Goodreads):
Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen—with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?

Review: I found this book through the Contemps reading list. I have to admit I was a little hesitant to pick it up. I'e read several books on kidnapping this year, incliding The Lovely Bones, Stolen (Lucy Christopher) and Living Dead Girl (Elizabeth Scott) and I was left emotionally drained after reading all of them. They are important books, but feel-good reads they are not. I really wasn't sure I was up for another emotional tko. I'm glad I grabbed it though, because for me this book was less about the kidnapping and more about the choices we make. There are always choices, and this book really showed you how those choices really shape who you are.

The main character, and the girl who is kidnapped, is Cheyenne, 16 blind and suffering from pnuemonia. Throughout the book we see the consequences of her choices. Her choice to stay in the car and sleep as her stepmom goes into the pharmacy. Her choice to continue to live her life after an accident leaves her blind. Her choice to survive her ordeal, even if it means people will get hurt. Her choices reflect the person she is. Strong and independent, but still trying to find her way in a world that is no longer the same for her.

Griffen is a lost soul. His father is a druggie, a drunk and a car theif, and Griffin doesn't know any other lifestyle. So when he see's the keys in an empty car, he makes an impulsive choice to take it, not realizing there is a girl in the back seat. Even though Cheyenne is the lead here, I felt like this story was really Griffin's. He was the one that needed to grow up, decide who he is and who he wants to be, and take a stand against the men who surround him, who are really bad guys. His choice to align himself with Cheyenne, even in small ways really show the person he can become.

I really lvoed how the story unfolded, mostly through small moments between Cheyenne and Griffin as they try to connect to eachother in a serious situation. At times they are playing each other, looking to gain information that will help their own plan. Other times you can see that they are two very lonely kids, who finally have a sympathetic ear to speak to. That relationship was interesting to read.

I wasn't sure whether I wanted them to become friendly or not. Even with the story being finished I'm not sure how I feel about it. Here's what I mean. Could they be friends as the book hints they could be? I don't know. Althought Griffin is technically a criminal (he did after all steal a car with a girl inside), I don't think he wants to be that way. He's very similar to the dog, Duke, that is chained up in the yard. His life has always been rough, and this may be the first time someone has expected more from him. Petty crimes is one thing, but with the introduction of Cheyenne Griffin ahs to choose. Follow his father down a path into a criminal life, or stand up to them and make his own choices. He wants to save Cheyenne, but I think in a very real way Cheyenne ends up saving him. I really, really liked that idea.

So long review short here. This is a good book. It takes a very different view on a very scary subject. The underlying theme of the choices that we make being important reach far beyond the pages of the book. Definitly worth the read.

Rating:

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Contest Alert- Beth Revis Across the Universe


I don't often pimp out contests here on the blog- but every once in awhile a contest so great comes along that it must be shared. Today I share with you Beth Revis' Epic Contest of Epic. It is, in a word, EPIC. She has 100 prizes to give away and the winners won't know they've won until the prize turns up in their mailbox. How much fun is that?!?! Head on over to Revis' website for more info and your chance to win!

Book Blogger Survey Day 4


32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Elvish

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
The Passage- that book was HUGE and too forever for me to get into!

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
I got nothing on this one :) Although I do have a copy of Le Morte d'Arthur, that has been eyeing me for a few years now...

35. Favorite Poet?
Shel Silverstein, Robert Frost

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
I've been on a book buying ban for almost a year now- occasionally, for a book I know I will love I'll cave and buy, but for the most part I go the library route. On average I get out 3 or so at a time, the most I've taken out at a time was 10 though!

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Only a few times- this usually happens when I take out a whole stack at once and move on to something else before I get around to reading it.

38. Favorite fictional character?
hmmm... this is a tough one. There are so many charecters I really enjoy- Hermione from the Harry Potter series always pops into my head first though.

39. Favorite fictional villain?
Voldemort (that's a given right?)

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Another hard one- I'm most likely to bring the books I haven't read yet (duh)- if I'm flying I take a few in my carryon and a few more in my luggage- if we are driving I bring a whole stack!

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
I'm not sure on this one. There have been a few times that I didn't read alot- there was a stretch when I was really down and didn't read a lot, although there was always a book nearby, I jsut wasn't into it. As silly as it sounds, I picked up Twilight and my whole world changed- I remembered how much fun reading was. Since then it's been a whirl-wind and the longest I've gone is probably a week or two.
Stay tuned for Day 5 of the survey tomorrow!!

Best I've Read 2010 Day 9



It's Day 9 of Best I've Read 2010! Can you believe all the fabulous authors who've worked with us on this event? So far it's been amazing and I'm so glad I was able to participate! Now we've reached the end of the road, but there are still chances to win- don't forget to head over the Best I've Read 2010 homepage to enter to win an amazing grand prize. Oh, and international followers- theres a great international grand prize package as well! So go check it out. I also want to say thank you to all of you- both old follwers and new, for making this event really special. It has been a blast!

Today I've featuring some great authors, Elizabeth Scott Brenna Yovanoff, Alyson Noel and Jonathan Maberry, so let's get to it!

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The Unwritten Rule
By: Elizabeth Scott
Published by: Simon Pulse
Elizabeth Scott's Website: www.Elizabethwrites.com

Book Summary (from goodreads.com):
He's looking at me like—well, like he wants to look at me.
Like he likes what hes sees, and he's smiling and hiw eyes are so blue, even in the faint flow of the porch light they shine, and I nod dumbly, blindly, and then grope for the door handle, telling myself to look away and yet not able to do it.
"Sara," he says, softly, almost hesitantly, and my heart slam-bangs, beating hard, and this is what it's like to want someone you can't have. To want someone you shouldn't even be looking at.


EXTRA!! I also have a guest post to share with everyone from Elizabeth Scott (Whose books I absolutely adore- especially The Unwritten Rule). Here's what she has to say about what the best part of being an author is and how it has impacted her life for the better.

The best thing about being an author, aside from the writing, is hearing from people! I'm always so amazed and flattered when someone takes the time to tell me they've read and liked something I wrote. It like--it's like getting a dose of sunshine!

Writing has made my life so much better, and being an author--it's made it better, but crazier! I tried to learn as much about publishing as I could before my first book came out, but I still learn new things every day.

Really, I wake up every day wanting to pinch myself because if you'd told me when I was 10 or 18 or even when I was 26 that I'd actually want to write, I'd have laughed. And then, after age 27, if you'd told me I would one day be published, I'd have laughed even harder!

I'm really lucky, and I know it--and I'm so grateful to everyone who has been so supportive of me and my work. It just--it's one of those things that makes you go WOW, you know?


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The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: September 21, 2010
http://brennayovanoff.livejournal.com/


Book Summary (from Penguin): Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement—left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.
Edward Scissorhands meets The Catcher in the Rye in this wildly imaginative and frighteningly beautiful horror novel about an unusual boy and his search for a place to belong.


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Dark Flame
By Alyson Noel
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
Released June 22, 2010
http://www.alysonnoel.com/

At the start of this mesmerizing new installment of the Immortals series, Ever is helping her friend Haven transition into life as an immortal. But with Haven drunk on her new powers and carelessly putting them all at risk, their friendship becomes more and more strained. At the same time, Ever delves deeper into magick in order to get control over her enemy Roman and free Damen from his power. But when the spell she casts on Roman backfires, she’s bound to her deadliest enemy. Frantic to reverse the spell the moment the moon enters a new phase, she finds her efforts are fruitless—there’s a strange, foreign pulse coursing through her, one that propels her toward Roman. Desperate to break free of this terrible curse before Damen or the twins can discover what she’s done, she turns to Jude and delves deeper and deeper
into dark magick, ultimately risking everything she knows and loves—including Damen.

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Rot & Ruin
By Jonathan Maberry
Published by Simon & Schuster
Released: October 5, 2010
http://jonathanmaberry.com/

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.






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Now for the giveaway- as always, simply fill out the form below to enter. This is a US only contest and will run from today until midnight on December 15th!

• 1 copy of The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott
• 1 copy of The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
• 1 copy of Dark Flame by Alyson Noel
• 1 copy of Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Monday, December 13, 2010

Book Blogger Survey part three


I got this survey (5 parts!) from Eve's Fan Garden, and so far it has been alot of fun to think about the answers and share it with all of you!. And so the survey continues....

22. Favorite genre?
Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Western

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Biographies- I always really enjoy them when I read them, but they are few and far between in the to be read pile.

24. Favorite biography?
Black Elk Speaks

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Yes- I actually just reviewed Style by Lauren Conrad which is kind of a self-help book for those of us that are fashion challenged...

26. Favorite cookbook?
I am a horrible cook, but I'm working on it, and therefore I have a ton of cookbooks...I couldn't tell you what any of them are called, but I have them.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Walking with Grandfather by Joseph Marshall III.

28. Favorite reading snack?
Doritos & Rootbeer. This has been my go-to reading snack since I was about 12 9and possibly before).

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Hmmm... I'd say it's a tie between Linger and Matched. Both were really good books, but they were so hyped that it would be impossible for any book to stand up to that.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I hardly ever read official reviews. I read other book blogs all the time and I'd say probably 80% of the time I agree with what they have to say!

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I think it's hard to give a bad review, but it has to be done. There have been a few books I really disliked and I've said so on my blog- I do try to frame it in a way that makes it clear that the book was just not for me. I think every book has a value to someone out there- and jsut because I didn't like it doesn't neccessarily mean it's a bad book- so I try to keep that in mind when I write a less then favorable review.

Best I've Read 2010 Day 8



Another day, more authors and giveaways! Today i'm featuring Jennifer Laurens, Andrea Cremer, Tera Lynn Childs, Lauren Oliver and Anastasia Hopcus!

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First up is Lauren Oliver, and I have to stop here and just tell you all how much I love this author and love her books. I picked up Before I Fall almost a year ago and it has stuck with me ever since then. It's an amazing book- see my full review here. Less then a month ago I got my hands on a copy of Delirium while at a conference in Florida, where I also met Lauren (squeee!!!)- I plowed through it it one night and it quickly took the top spot on the best I've read this year list. Ousting Before I Fall in the process. See my Delirium review here. These books are that good. If you haven't read them, get on it, you won't be dissapointed!




Before I Fall
By: Lauren Oliver

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing. (from laurenoliverbooks.com)


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Heavenly-Heavenly #1
By: Jennifer Laurens
Published By: Grove Creek Publishing
Website: http://heavenlythebook.com/


Book Summary: I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him. Zoë's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoë lost in her broken life. Zoë escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoë's autistic sister. After Zoë is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.





Penitence Heavenly #2

By Jennifer Laurens
Published by Grove Creek Publishing
Website: http://www.jenniferlaurens.com/


Book Summary from Goodreads: Seeing good and evil spirits is a gift Zoe guards with her life.



Despite her guardian angel’s disappearance, Zoe forces herself to accept that she still has a purpose—but how does she carry the weight of her brother’s drug abuse, the hardship of living with an autistic sister, and a best friend who’s obsessed with a guy who only wants Zoe?

She’s never felt more alone.

When a mysterious spirit appears, Zoe thinks she has a new guardian angel. Instead, her brother’s addiction worsens, her parents are on the brink of separation, and her best friend tries to kill her. The spirit she thinks is her new guardian isn’t there to protect her: he’s out to destroy her family and seize Zoe’s soul. . . for Hell.

Will Matthias’ return mean that he is Zoe’s guardian angel again? Or is their love the reason the jaws of Hell now gape open?






Absolution-Heavenly #3
By: Jennifer Laurens
Published By: Grove Creek Publishing
Website: http://www.jenniferlaurens.com/

Book Summary from Goodreads:

Zoe’s secret is out. And the powers of Hell are ravenous to claim her soul. Her brother, Luke, knows her secret: that she sees both good and evil spirits. Her boyfriend knows. At least Matthias is her guardian angel again. But now Hell’s most ruthless leader will stop at nothing to have her soul.

Albert, Matthias’ father, is relentless in his hunger for Zoe. He wants to destroy Matthias and will use Zoe to do so.

The battle between Heaven and Hell tests everything Zoe has. As she witnesses everyone important in her life suffering, she’s brought to the ultimate choice: will she sacrifice her soul to save the ones she loves?

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By Andrea Cremer
Published by Philomel/Penguin
Released on October 19th, 2010
http://www.andreacremer.com

Summary:
Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice? (quoted from goodreads)


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Forgive My Fins
By Tera Lynn Childs
Released June 1, 2010
Published by Katherine Tegen Books
http://www.teralynnchilds.com/

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.


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Shadow Hills
Publisher: Egmont USA
Released: July 13th 2010

Summary: After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA — a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach — the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after — seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.




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On to the giveaway- it's another one package only deal and it's open int he US only. You have until December 15th at midnight to enter. Simply fill out the firm below to enter to win!

• 1 copy of Heavenly, Penitence OR Absolution by Jennifer Laurens (winner's choice)
• 1 Nightshade ARC by Andrea Cremer
• 1 copy of Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
• Signed poster from Anastasia Hopcus
• Before I Fall

Sunday, December 12, 2010

To see or not to see: Country Strong


Rarely do I venture out of the world of books here on this blog- but as this is my primary outlet to talk- I figure it's okay to step outside the book every once in a while. Plus- this is about a movie, which is like a cousin of the book, so I'm still in the right family. Here's a little back ground info on this topic.

1. I'm a huge country music dork. Love it. my zune is 90% country, 5% showtunes and 5% music I listened to when I was in High School (I'm talking about you Lit and Blink 182). The radio is always tuned to the country station as well. I also drive a Ram and tow my horse around to go riding in the wilderness- so that's where I'm at.

2. Huge movie fan. I don't get to go as much as I'd like (that shit's expensive!)- but I love watching movies. Add country music into the movie and I'm there.

3. Hate Gwyneth Paltrow. I have no rational reason for this. It just is. So you add Paltrow to a movie about country music and I'm out.

So that's where I stood when Country Strong crossed the radar. Movie (yay!) + Country music (double yay!) + Gwenyth Paltrow (boo!) = not paying for that. Of course, then Lainey at Lainey Gossip started posting videos from this movie.


Did you know that Garrett Hedlund is in this movie? And Blair Waldorf (whose real name I can not spell- and I'm too lazy to look up)? Those are both big, big pluses in my book. Please, I've been all over Garrett Hedlund since Four Brothers with Marky Mark Wahlberg. Almost obsessed, but the guy is so not in the spotlight that he is easily missed. He's got the lead in Tron and we barely see him out and about, playing the game, promoting this huge movie. It's no wonder I completely missed he was in Country Strong. I was too busy hating on Paltrow to notice.

Have you seen these videos? Go ahead, watch them, I dare you not to fall in love with this guy. I've already watched him sing Chances Are (first clip) a good dozen times.

I'm now editing my edit. I first thought I could post a video for Chances Are- then my site said I couldn't, that it wasn't available, so I sent you packing to Lainey Gossip. Then in the comments Just Your Typical Book Blog was nice enough to post some links to more videos and there it was. The video. Available for all of our enjoyment. So here you go...










So now I'm stuck- suffer through Paltrow pretending to be a country singer to get my Hedlund fix, or just watch these clips over and over again? Has there ever been a movie like this for you- where you fork over a rediculous sum of money to watch a supporting cast member in a movie starring some questionable actor? Lastly- are you know in love with Hedlund too?










How about now?

Best I've Read 2010 Day 7



Ready for another day of great authors, great books and great giveaways? I am ;) Today I'm featuring Ally Condie, Becca Wilhite, Stephanie Perkins, Denise Jaden!

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Matched
By Ally Condie
Published by Dutton Juvenile
Website: http://www.allysoncondie.com/


Book Summary:
(from Goodreads)
In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic.

See my Review of Matched here

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My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions
By:
Becca Wilhite
Published by: Shadow Mountain
Website: http://www.beccawilhite.com/

Book summary: Sarah Howard's first year at the university is everything and nothing she expected especially when a very cute boy named Ben in her Art History class starts to show interest in her.

Sarah feels like she's an average, normal, everyday girl. So, when Ben (to whom she secretly refers as Adonis because she thinks he could be a Greek god) begins to take interest in her, Sarah is in denial. For one thing, last year she was deeply crushed and humiliated by Jesse James a guy who she thought liked her.

She's determined not to get burned again. But in her heart of hearts, what she really wants is a Jane Austen kind of romance. Ridiculous, right? That kind of romance doesn t exist anymore . . . or does it? Sarah is smart and fun to be around and even pretty, despite her Medusa-like red curls. She even plays the guitar. (So does Ben!) Yes, Sarah is everything Ben has wanted. He's crazy for her, but Sarah is just not getting it. She's playing hard to get, and if she s not careful, she s going to lose a real hot gentleman -- her 21st-century Mr. Darcy.

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Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Stephanie's Website: http://stephanieperkins.com/

Book Summary:(from Stephanie's website) Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend.
But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.



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Losing Faith
By Denise Jaden
Released September 7, 2010
Published by Simon Pulse
http://www.denisejaden.com/

A terrible secret. A terrible fate. When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but. As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

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Giveaway time!! Today we have four great books to giveaway in one big package. This contest is US only and runs until Midnight on December 15th. Simply fill out the form below to enter!

• 1 copy of Matched by Ally Condie
• 1 copy of My Ridiculous Romantic Obsession by Becca Wilhite
• 1 copy of Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• 1 copy of Losing Faith by Denise Jaden

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Book Blogger Survey part duex

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I have to admit, not often. Right now I read mostly YA and historical fiction for the blogs I contribute too and I would say those are pretty much my wheelhouse. Still, everyonce in awhile I'll grab somethign new and have at it!

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
YA and Historical Fiction

13. Can you read on the bus?
I'm not much of a bus rider, so I will substitute car and plane for bus. In that case the answer is yes. As a matter of fact if I'm not focusing on a book or magazine I do get motion sick. So the books really save the day in those situations!

14. Favorite place to read?
Ohhh- Top Ten Tuesday was on this subject this week- I went with Couch, Bathtub, Wyoming and Bed as my top four. Check out the post for why!

15. What is your policy on book lending?
I used to never lend them out, but more recently I've been pretty good about it. To my fellow reviewers at Eve's Fan Garden I have no problem sharing with (so long as they share their books with me)and to my best friend it's easy as she alsways gives them back. However, I did loan a whole stack to a family member 4 months ago and I still haven't seen them back yet, so....

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Always. Unless the book doesn't belong to me, then I go for the bookmark. But my own books I am brutal with. Dog-eared, food smudges, wet spots (see favorite places to read, place two), covers missing. They look like they've been through war after I read them and I LOVE it.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Not really. I don't often stop long enough to take notes when I read. If I want to remember to take something down I make a small fold in the corner of the page so I can find the quote or thought when I'm done reading for the day.

18. Not even with text books?
Not even with text books. I'm more of a notes in a notebook type girl. Lots and lots of notes in a notebook. And the occasional post-it note.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
Elvish...

20. What makes you love a book?
This is a toughie because there are so many different things that can suck me in, but I think the over-riding idea is that it must suck me in. I have to not want to put it down. I know I loved it when I can't stop thinking about it. you also know I love it when I start demanding other people read it as well!

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I wasn't much of a book pusher until I got involved with TwilightMoms and EFG, where people actually want to hear what I'm reading and if I like it. I'll push a book if it has the qualities of #20.

Stay tuned for more questions coming soon!

Book Blogger Survey

I found this survey on the other Blog I write for Eve's Fan Garden- I'm usually not much for these, but it's all about books, so really how could I not be all over it! So lets get to it :)

1. Favorite childhood book?

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. My Dad read us this book all the time and he also painted pictures of some of the scenes for us too. I can rememebr both reading the book with him and helping him paint the pictures. It's the one book I have really solid memories of from my childhood and it's a book that stands up just as well today.

Summary: The Giving Tree is a tale about a relationship between a young boy and a tree in a forest. The tree always provides the boy with what he wants: branches on which to swing, shade in which to sit, apples to eat, branches with which to build a home. As the boy grows older he requires more and more of the tree. The tree loves the boy very much and gives him anything he asks for. In the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, the tree lets the boy cut her down so the boy can build a boat in which he can sail. The boy leaves the tree, now a stump. Many years later, the boy, now an old man, returns and the tree says, "I have nothing left to give you." The boy replies, "I do not need much now, just a quiet place to sit and rest." The tree then says, "Well, an old tree stump is a good place for sitting and resting. Come boy, sit down and rest." The boy obliged and the tree was happy.



2. What are you reading right now?

The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier. I'm about half way through and I'm absolutely loving it so far. It's an arc I picked up on a whim at NCTE and I'm really glad I did.

Summary:When Trei loses his family in a tragic disaster, he must search out distant relatives in a new land. The Floating Islands are unlike anything Trei has ever seen: stunning, majestic, and graced with kajurai, men who soar the skies with wings.Trei is instantly sky-mad, and desperate to be a kajurai himself. The only one who fully understands his passion is Araene, his newfound cousin. Prickly, sarcastic, and gifted, Araene has a secret of her own . . . a dream a girl cannot attain.Trei and Araene quickly become conspirators as they pursue their individual paths. But neither suspects that their lives will be deeply entwined, and that the fate of the Floating Islands will lie in their hands. . . .Filled with rich language, and told in alternating voices, The Floating Islands is an all-encompassing young adult fantasy read.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

I've got one on hold- Girl, Stolen by April Henry. I'm really behind on my YA Contemps reading challenge, and this will be the second book I've got my hands on from that list!

Summary: Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen—with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?


4. Bad book habit?
I'm really rough on my books- after I finish they look like they've been through a war. I hate covers, so those go before i even start reading. I fold pages, I eat while reading and get smudges on the pages and I break the bindings. Alot of people think those are bad book habits, but I have to admit that I really love how a book looks when it's been well loved!

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Nothing right at this moment

6. Do you have an e-reader?
Nope- I used a Kindle once as a text book and hated it. I have a netgalley account for reading books online, but haven't even read one yet. I tried to start Delirium, but couldn't get into it. When I actually got the book I tore through it- so that was an eReader fail. I get why people love them- but I'm not ready to give up my books yet!

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I usually have 2 or 3 going. One main book that I'm all over then one or two books that are scattered around the house or in my car that I can pick back up if I'm not into anything else, or if I'm caught somewhere and need a book.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Absolutely. For one I read alot more! I' almost up to 120 for the year, and I know I've never read that many before. I also look at books differently. Not only am I looking to see if I will like it, but if others will as well. I've also become more aware as to whether a book is written well as opposed to just a fun book to read.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
No contest- Speak was so not my favorite book this year.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
So many good books this year- but if I had to narrow down to my top 5 (I know that's not the question, but that's what I'm going with)- I'd go: Delirium and Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, Stolen by Lucy Christopher, The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg and The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa.

Word is that there are something like 40 more questions to this bad boy which will be posted in the net few days. So as they go up at EFG I'll add them here too!